Shutter dust cover



June 8, 1948. c. c. FUERST 2,443,159

SHUTTER DUST COVER Filed Aug. '7, 1946 l7 1 I 10 i 13 16.6.

:1 20 CARL c. FUERST I! ll. INVE OR L 1 BY ATTORNEYS Patented June 8, 1948 SHUTTER DUST COVER Carl C. Fuerst, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 7, 1946, Serial No. 688,837

This invention relates to photography, and more particularly to dust covers for camera shutters. One object of my invention is to provide a closure for a slot in a shutter cover through which a shutter lever passes. Another object of my invention is to provide a closure which is spring actuated and which moves to normally cover a shutter slot; the arrangement of the parts being such that the closure offers but little, if any, resistance to the'movement of the lever. Other objects will appear from the following specification, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In shutters, and particularly in shutters of the setting type in which a lever is moved to tension a shutter spring, it is customary for the lever to move through a slot in an edge wall of a shutter casing and this slot usually permits dust or dirt to enter, but in the past it has been diflicult to provide a satisfactory slot cover because anything which impedes the movement of a shutter-setting lever will affect the speed of the shutter. Because of the length of the slot through which the setting lever usually must move, the slot provides rather a large opening through which moisture, dust, and dirt can ordinari-ly pass. My invention is particularly directed to a means for covering the slot which will at the same time permit free movement of the lever through the slot. While, of course, my invention may be applied to any photographic shutter to cover any slot through which a shutter-operating lever may pass, it is particularly adapted for use in a shutter of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,099,866, Riddell, Photographic shutter, granted November 23, 1937. In this patent, the setting lever projects radially through a shutter slot and moves through a considerable angle in setting the shutter. My improved form of dust cover is therefore particularly suitable for such a structure.

Coming now to the drawings in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout:-

Fig. 1 is a section through a portion of a shutter casing, there being a shutter cover extending across a slot constructed in accordance with and embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the shutter cover shown in Fig. 1 but with portions removed. In this figure the shutter cover is in its normal position of rest and the shutter-setting lever is in the position it assumes after an exposure has been completed;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the 6 Claims. (01. 74-566) 2 i parts in the position they assume when the shutter is being set;

Fig, 4 is a view similar to the preceding Figures 2 and 3, but with the parts in a position in which the shutter is fully set;

Fig. 5 is a front plan view of a shutter equipped with my improved type of dust cover; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

My invention comprises broadly providing an extremely thin, light-weight, metal cover, mounted to slide under the influence of a very light spring into a slot-covering position. The plate may move freely from this position to permit the shutter to be set and an exposure made.

More specifically, my invention may be applied to a shutter I, having a central aperture 2 into which a lens cell 3 may be attached. There is, preferably, a pointer 4 for indicating the shutter speed setting on a scale 5 carried by an adjustable rim 6. A diaphragm scale 'I of the usual type may be employed and a pointer 8 is used to designate the diaphragm setting. A trigger 9 extends through the shutter casing and a setting lever l0 passes outwardly through a slot II in the upstanding circular wall 12 of the shutter. The shutter mechanism may be exactly the same as the mechanism shown in the above-mentioned Riddell patent.

On the top of the shutter, as viewed in Fig. 5, I provide a casing 13 which is a formed metal plate which may be attached as by rivets, or screws, M, to the wall l2 of the shutter; this casing having a slot l5 lying directly above the slot I! in the shutter wall [2, as best shown in Fig. 6. I prefer to make the slot l5 just wide enough for the lever [0 to pass freely therethrough. Inside of the casing I3 I provide a dust cover Hi, this cover being curved to conform withthe arcuate shape of the housing l3 and including a slot I! through which a rivet it! passes, as best shown in Fig. 6. This pin and slot forms a movable connection on which the dust cover Hi can slide and turn within the limits of the housing l3.

In order to hold the dust cover IB normally over the slot II and beneath the slot I5, I provide a light-weight spring 20 which is looped about the rivet I8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the two ends of this spring 22 and 23 passing through notches or apertures 24 anad 25 in the flanges 26 and 21 which are formed on the end of the cover member. This spring, as shown in Fig. 2, normally presses the dust cover in the direction shown by the arrow. When in a normal rest position-the With the parts in their rest position, shownin Fig. 2, the shutter may be set by moving the setting lever in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. engagement with the cam 35-, -to rock an'd move the dust cover 16 rearwardly as the lever l0 progresses from its Fig. 2, past its Fig. '3, and into its Fig. 4 position. In this position the shutter is set and it may be released by depressing-the shutter trigger 9. It is important that the setting lever [0 move freely fromiits Fig.4 to "its Fig. 1 position, because the speed ofrmovement of the: setting lever Ill determines'the-spee'd-of the exposure and any interference with this movement will alter the shutter speed; Aswil-l be'seen from Fig. 4, the relationship between the setting lever lll'andthe lower-edge 37: of the dust-cover issuch that the lever ID has considerable mechanical advantage and:canxreadily-move the dust cover; this being particularly true because 01' the, extremely light-weight spring -20'-which moves the-dust.cover.- Thus, the dust cover-wi11 slide and rock about-the rivet "land there will be little, if any, retarding *act-ion onzthe setting lever. When the setting leverrreaches its 2 position; the-cover may move'iorwardly into a slot-closing position, so that the dust cover forms an adequate cover for theslot llinithe' shutter flange l2 andforthe slot "I5 in the -housing13. Dust and dirt are therefore prevented from enter.- ing this relatively-long slot.

While I have shown my invention as applying to the setting leverslot-of a shutter of known tyDe.-'- because these slots are" usually the longest,

itis :obviousthat a similar construction may be usedon any slot through which a'lever' passes fromthe -shutter mechanism outwardly and into an operative position; 1 It is, however, a simple matter to provide a release, or a triggenwhich doesnot :require a slot; or,- if desir'ed,:the shutter maybe :operated solely through a cable-release attached to a ferrule 30; asshown in Fig. 5; this ferrule 'bein-g threaded at 3| to receive a cable releaserwln such a case, theatr-iggers9 may be omitted-withtheomission also; of course, ofza' slot-42111 011811" which the trigger. passes." In .such a .case=there will be no slots in the shutter casing through which 'dust or dirt can pass.

I claim:

1. In a f'camera shutter; the. combination with; a slotted arcuate wallforminga part 'of a shutter casing, ;,a :lever 'movabl'e through the slot, "a slot 1 cover-comprisinga plate curvedto"fitthaarcuate wall,--a"pin and-slot'connection'loetween the .cover and shutter casing the slot extending transversely" of the arcuate wall on which said covervmayhave This causes :the camw36, through? limited mcvement :to and from :the slot; a light spring normally holding an-edge of athercover over 1 the 8101?,2. camzon the cover edge lying .over the slot.-'toward one-send thereof and 'lying: -in.'the

pathg-Qf the lever, whereby said; lever may :move;

thacover; rocking it upon the: 'pin-ande'slot conmotion-when said l-everis moved'toward the opaposite endofthe slot.

'2 In a scamera shutter;.- thecornbination with I '17 5 a slotted arcuate-wall forming a part of a shutter casing, a lever movable through the slot. a slot cover comprising a plate curved to fit the arcuate wall, a pin-and-slot connection between the cover and shutter casing the slot extending transversely of the arcuate wall on which said cover may have limited movement to and from the slot, a. light spring normally? holding. an edge of the cover over the slot, a cam on -the cover 'edge lying over the slot toward one end thereof and lying intthe path of the lever, whereby said lever may move thecover, rocking it upon the pin-and-slot connection when said lever is moved toward the opposite end -'of the slot, said lever remaining uniider anedgeiofthe' cover at the opposite end of the-slot whereby the cover may be rocked about itspin-and-slotconnection in returning to its original position.

3. -In a'camera shutter, the combination with a slotted arcuate wall forming a part of a shutter casing, a lever -movable. -thr0u h the'sloui a :slot cover comprising a plate conforming tothershape of i the arcuate wall, ia pir-1and-slot connection between the cover and shutter casings the slot" extending transversely of the: :arcuate wall ori which said cover may have iimitedmovement to andfrom theslot, a z-lig-htlspring normally holds-r: ingqan edge of the coveroverthe--slot; a -rcarn on the cover edge lyingnover the-slottoward oneend thereof and lying :in the-pa-thJof-the-lever,:where bysaid lever may move thewcoverc-in IRON/111312111: onedirection; rocking :it upon-"the pin-a-nd-slotx connection away .from =the slot; when :the lever ismoved through 'theslot; said lever moving through theslet-in-said one-direction=and-ten sioning thelight sprin :as the covernis :moved; an edge of: the scove'r :resting: raga-inst the lever throughout its movement through the slot -whereby the-lever, after moving -the-cam 'on the coverr edge, may engage the-cover and may move with out material resistance due to the-pressure ofu the cover-on-theslever. v

4. ."Ihe camera "shutter loft the-type defined in claim.- 3 characterized by :said cover-lying .within a frame. extending around at: least three sides oftheslotinthe cover. I 5.-. .The camera shutter of thetype defined in cla'in'iefi characterized-"by said cover including: fingers. on rthenendsrof the.-=cover,- each s engaging oneend of. said coverspring -said .cover spring-.z

encircling ,the .pin.0f1 said .pin and slot support-l ing the covenonthe shutter. I

6. The cam'erarshutter of 'theH-typede'firied in clairr' i ls' characterized by said covencam normal; 1y lying against acomple'mentar-y cam lcarrled.by the, lever 'to. facilitate. rocking the. --cover;.on. its pin-iand-slot connection during movement =of thfe, lever'in'onedirection. e i j CARL FUERSTJ inii nnnrvons mm The followin'g references: are 20151 recorcl' in th'e file-oiithis -patentz N DTSTATESZPATENTs 11 Number} t (1.. 

